Custom x86 OS

[Structure]

I have developed a bootLoader and can load/run assembled binarys in a single process setup where the applications take control. I hope to design a nice OS and was wondering if anyone has done this and if they have any links/info they could share. Thanks in advance 

[Frank Kotler]

Hi Structure,

... unfortunately... my computer crashed about two years ago and I didn't have a recent backup...

If you search this forum for "Zulfi" you will find a few topics from "Zulfi Kahn". He started out with A Tasm bootloader I helped him convert to Nasm. I thought it sounded like "homework" and it was - he was the instructor. I worked it up into the rudimentary beginning of an "OS". Just a couple of commands.  I realized, somewhere along the line, that I didn't know where I was going. How was my OS going to be better than Linux? Even better than 'doze? I didn't know... and that's where I quit. The little I had probably wouldn't help you much but you might have been interested in looking at it. But an IDE drive won't even plug in to a modern computer so I'm pretty much "out of business".

osdev.org and news:alt.os.developement have info on this topic... They'll tell you to read, read read before you write a line of code...

Best,
Frank

[Structure]

  I didn't know where I was going.

that's where I quit.

We are not the same.

before you write a line of code...

too late.

[debs3759]

I never got beyond writing a FAT12 boot sector (it could load and pass control to a 16-bit binary in the root directory, with any amount of fragmentation) and a CPUID app that can detect anything from 808x up to the first 64-bit CPUs. Then my poor health got in the way. I hope to resume coding this year - health hasn't improved, but has stabilised. I did plan to write a simple 32-bit OS that can detect and initialise a wide range of hardware, and I hope to at least get that underway. Might write a DOS based IDE in nasm, and convert my windowing code to nasm as well (in MSVC 1.52, I wrote a windowing system for DOS that could load 1024 child windows and switch between them, I forget how much memory it needed, but it could work on a 386 at a usable speed).

[Structure]

a FAT12 boot sector

I currently don't have a file system, it runs off disks.

I wrote a windowing system for DOS

forget about DOS...

windowing system

This is where i am at... I am currently experimenting with display modes.

[Structure]

I have an IDE as well... Which is a collection of .exe tools for windows.

example.aro:

Code: [Select]

<print.asm>

string: db "hello world", 0

__entry:
    print string

This can be assembled as a .img and run from the bootLoader.
Step 1 cmd: arrow example
Step 2 cmd: nasm example.asm -o example.img

There are some files that are automatically included to construct the proper structure to run on the OS. It currently requires an immutable directory structure as well, which will change eventually with maybe a settings.ini ? idk.

I considered writing a development environment in the OS, but it makes no sense to me. It makes more sense to use the power of windows and create the binary's. As far as the file system, this is trivial imo. As long as the disks run, organizing them on the hard drive is simple.

To run a disk you just push F5 at the command prompt.

After the application runs it returns to video mode 0x03 and the command prompt.

[Structure]

One thing i would really like is if someone could test it on real hardware... I'm currently using virtualization.

[debs3759]

a FAT12 boot sector

I currently don't have a file system, it runs off disks.

How do you load your loader without a file system? Is it just a single binary file so far?

I wrote a windowing system for DOS

forget about DOS...[/quote

When I rewrite it in assembler, it will use BIOS calls, not DOS calls. Only reason it was written for DOS was because at the time I was using MSVC Simple enough to use Int 10h instead of int 21h.

windowing system

This is where i am at... I am currently experimenting with display modes.

I only found my code a few days ago. I aimed to be VGA compatible, and used 800x600 mode. I forget exactly which mode though, I need to read my code thoroughly. Good thing all my code is heavily commented When I have done some work on it, it will be posted in the example code area. It'll be a few months off though, as I am working on a big update to the gpuzoo.com website at the moment. When I start coding again, my IDE will be my first project, and that will make heavy use of my windowing routines. As always, all my code will be public domain.

[Structure]

public domain

If it's public domain i will differ.

I'm having many issues with VESA, very complicated imo.

working on a big update to the gpuzoo.com website at the moment

take your time. Do whatever you want.

public domain

I am not public domain. OEM

Don't forget... many people steal from you when it's public. This has become a real problem.

95% of "programmers" google all day and copy/paste

[Structure]

How do you load your loader

It is a disk. Put the disk in and turn on the computer.

Is it just a single binary file

It is. The applications are then run off of the second disk.
also single files.

so far?

lol, it works. That's a good start 

[Structure]

Anyone wanting to endeavor on such a thing... pm me. I'm going to get it done regardless.

[Structure]

I can now put several applications on a disk. 

To run a disk you just push F5 at the command prompt.

I changed this to just type in the application name and hit enter.